Engine starter



March 19, 1.929.

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Filed July 15, 1927 N N t C@ W 7 i llk 3 OX 3 i s Qi 'ai jf WM Uff' Q N t N Y 'li 2 @QH 3V E I A w Iil 1 @m "MM u??? March 19, 1929. w. L. MGGRATH .ENGINE STARTER Filed July 15, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W m, L y@ i W M WL," .mrw f? S1 w .J Ils] l m MN $.WNKJ QM, mm mw.

mm1 A N m V Il 4 M R am ww mw mm.. mw ma mw www W N@ March 19, 1929. w. L. Mc-G'RATH ENGINE STARTER Filed July l5, 1927 3 Sheets-Shee.

l fraz/Z250? Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

UNlTED 'STATES 1,705,938 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM L. MQGRATH, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO ECLIPSE MACHINE COH- i PANY, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORXNA CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ENGINE STARTER.

Appneanqn med my 15,

My invention relates to engine starting apparatus for the starting of engines, and more particularly but not necessarily7 automobile engines, and the obJect thereof 1s to provide a simple, efficient and reliable apparatus characterized by the provision of a drlve of the manual shift type embodying a friction clutch cooperating with a driving member,

such as a pinion which is adapted to engage a member of the engine to be started, and also cooperating with a controlymember or nut threaded upon a longitudinally' shlftable sleeve on which the driving member also is carried which construction is further characterized by the provision of a light torsion spring for applying a constant pressure upon the clutch and still further characterized by the provision of a shifting means, such as a sleeve operatively connected with the drive proper in such manner as to shift such drive into engagement with the engine member and also to take care of the condition of abutting of the pinion and the engine member if the same occurs. y i

In the drawings', Figure lis a sectional elevation of an engine starting apparatus embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 a longitudinal section of the drive proper and the shifting sleeve;

Fig. 3 an elevation of the pinion end of the drive;

F ig. alone;

Figs. 5 and 6 elevations of opposite ends of such sleeve.;

Fig. 7 a detail view of the driving member or pinion alone;

Fig. 8 a detail View of the control member of nut alone;

Fig. 9 a detail of one of the pins in the connection between the screw sleeve and the shifter sleeve; and

Figs. lO'and 11 longitudinal sectional elevations of two modified forms of construction.

Referring to the particular embodiment of my invention as herein shown and selected for the purposes of a clear `and definite description ot 'my invention, the prime moverl is an electric motor 1, and as the drive herein shown is of the direct type, the armature shaft of the motor is here an 'extended shaft 2 which may be termed a rotatable driving shaft. vTo one end of the motor frame, there is at tached a casing or bracket 3 which terminates 4 an elevation of the screw sleeve vstructions and operated either manually or l1927. Serial No. 205,898.

end of the shaft 2. This bracket also serves as a supporter mounting for the shifter sleeve 5 which is pivoted to such bracket at 6 and whose inner end 7 extends into the casing or'bracket 3 and into operative relationship with the shifter sleeve hereinafter described. This lever 5` is provided with an angular extension 8 which when such lever is oscillated from the normal position shown in Fig. 1 in a clockwise position, the same contacts and operates a button 9 of a switch, not otherwise shown for controlling the electric current to the motor and cutting it o therefrom. This lever 5 is spring pressed as usual in such conpedally through linkage or operating connections not shown except for a portion of a rod 10. The term manually will hereinafter be used to cover both manual and pedal operation.

The drive proper including the shifter sleeve, such as shown in Fig. 2, is preferably an assembly and the same is ada tedvto be rslipped upon the shaft 2 before t 1e bracket or casing 3 is applied to the motor frame and secured thereto in a suitable manner Iasby means of the screws 11.

Describing the drive proper, the same comprises a sleeve 12 which is mounted on the shaft 2 for longitudinal -movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, such result being accomplished in the present instance y through the medium of the splines 13 on the shaft 2 and the corresponding grooves 14 in the bore of the sleeve 12. This Sleeve is provided with a stop means which is here in the form of a nut 15 screwed upon the outer end of the sleeve and secured thereto. This sleeve has at its inner end a screw threaded portion 16, such threads being short lead threads. The sleeve is further provided at its inner end or right-hand end with a shell extension 17 whose diameter is greater than the diameter or bore of the sleeve 12 so as to permit of the entrance and sliding movement of the shifter sleeve hereinafter described.

The driving member which is here in the form of a pinion 18 is mounted loosely upon the sleeve 12, preferably through the medium of a bushing 19, and the same is constantly in substantial contact with the stop nut 15. This pinion is adapted to be shifted l'ongitudinally when the other parts of the assembly are shifted longitudinally and thereat its outer end in a bearing 4 for the outer by brought into engagement with a member 110 of the engine to be started, which in the present instance is shown as the engine flywheel 2() provided with peripheral teeth 21.

A control member which is here in the form of a nut 22 is threaded upon the screw threaded portion 16 of the sleeve and provided at one end with a cup-shaped disk 23. A light torsion spring 24 encircles this nut and sleeve land is connected at its opposite ends with such nut and sleeve respectively, and the same isl coiled so as to turn the nut in a direction to advance it and its disk 23 to the left.

Between the pinion 18 and nut 22, there is interposed a friction clutch composed of the l two sets of friction plates or disks 25 and 26,

the former being splined to a hub extension of the pinion and the latter to the longitudi nally extending portion of the disk 23. AY

ring 27 is preferably interposed between the disk 23 and the first of the friction plates 26. In order to hold the friction clutchv assembly in position on the sleeve 12, a spring ring or wire 28 is interposed between two of the outermost plates 25 towards the right in Fig.` 2, such ring engaging in a slot 18a in the inside of the hub extension of the pinion. The friction plates and the disk 23 are enclosed by a shell 29 held in place upon the disk 23 by the spring ring or wire 30.

The shifter sleeve 3l is mounted to slide upon the shaft 2 and provided with parallel flanges 32 and 33 between which the inner end 7 of the shifting lever 5 operates. This sleeve 31 is adapted to slide in the annular space formed between the shaft 2 and the inner walls of the extension 17 of the sleeve 12 and the same is operatively connected with such sleeve for shifting it longitudinally and provided with a yielding lost motion with respect thereto by means of a pin and slot connection therewith. `In the present instance, the two pins 34 are provided in the'sleeve :il and y the grooves which are longitudinal grooves 35 are provided in the extension 17.

A spring retainer in the form of a shell 3G is connected with the left-hand end of this extension 17, and the same extends to the left encircling the nut 22 and the sleeve 12 and forming an annular space for the torsion spring 24. At the other or right-hand end of the extension 17, there is provided a thimble 37 which has a central opening embracing the extension 17 and held in place by Contact with outwardly extending portions 38 of the pins 34. A compression spring 39 is interposed between this retainer 36 and thimble 37 whereby the two sleeves 12 and 31 are held in a normal relative position, which is the position shown in Fig. 2. Describing a cycle of operation and starting with the parts in their normal position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, when it is desired to start the engine, the operator actuates the lever 5 by moving the same in a clockwise direction, lwhereupon through the operative connection between the lower end of such lever 7 and the shifter sleeve 31, the latter is moved to the left carrying with it through the yielding connection 39 the entire assembly of drive proper and when the driving member or pinion 18 is in full or substantially full mesh with the engine flywheel, the switch button 9`is operated by the projection on the lever 5 and the motor thereupon energized with the result that the torque of the motor will be transmitted from the shaft 2 to the sleeve 12 and` thence through the nut 22, and friction clutch to such pinion and the engine will thereupon be cranked. y

ln the event that the pinion teeth should abut the flywheel teeth end to end thereby arresting the longitudinal movement of the drive proper, the longitudinal movement of the shifter sleeve 31 will continue owing to its yielding lost motion connection with the drive proper, and when the lever 5 has moved or oscillated sufliciently far to actuate the switch button 9, the motor will be rotated and the drive will consequently be rotated so that the pinion 18 will be moved from its position of abutting and into register with the flywheel teeth, the entire drive including the driving member being forced longitudinally into full engagement as to the driving member and flywheel by means of the spring 39 which had been compressed during the continued movement of the shifter sleeve 31 While the drive proper was in its said conditionof arrest. y

When the engine starts on its own power, the operator should remove the pressure upon the lever 5 whereupon such lever will be restored to normal position by anti-clockwise movement by means of a spring (not shown) and the shifter sleeve 31 and entire drive proper will thereby be retracted to normal position. In the event that the operator should fail or delay the release of his pressure upon the lever 5, the construction of the drive is such that the excess speed of rotation of the pinion 18 after the engine starts but with the pinion still in mesh with the flywheel, the nut will be backed olf slightly and the clutch pressure between the plates will thereupon be relieved, and the pinion will consequently rotate freely and the torque of the engine will not thereby be transmitted therebeyond, and the motor will be relieved of any such excess speed rotation.

The light torsion spring 24 applies a small amount of pressure upon the clutch plates and acts as a build-up for the clutch, so that as torque is applied to the screw sleeve such torque will be transferred to the nut by the screw-jack action into a longitudinal pressure which clamps the friction plates together and gives a positive driving clutch action during the cranking of the engine. By reason of the provision of the torsion spring which trol nut is thrown back dueto sudden increase in velocity. In such backward travel, the control nut will contact and be stoppedby the shoulder, 40 and thereafter the torsion spring 24 will restore the nut to the normal position shown in Fig. 2.

In Figs. l() and 11, I have shown two modified forms of construction embodying many parts, the same as shown in the other form illustrated in Fig. 2, and consequently the same reference numerals will apply to that extent.

According to the modification in Fig. 10, the screw sleeve is provided with an extension 41, which is here shown as separate from but screwing upon one end of such sleeve and adapted to clamp between its outer end and the screw threads of the sleeve, the spring retainer 36 and a washer 42. This washer has a tongue 42a acting as a back stop by reason of the Contact thereagainst of the notch 22a in inner end ofthe nut 22. The other springretainer'43 bears against the end of al shifter sleeve 44 which in this case telescopes over the extension 41 and not within it, the parts 41 and 44 being prevented -from pulling apart by means of a spring ring 45. Also, in this modification, it is possible to use a single coil tension spring 46 to act uponl the control nut., In other respects, the construction is substantially the same as that of Fig. 2 and the functioning of the parts is also substantially the same.

According to Fig. 11, the screw sleeve is provided with an extension 47 made separate but screwing thereon and clamping the spring abutment 36 and washer 42 as in Fig. l0 but with the compression spring bearing directly against a flange 48 of the shifter sleeve 49 which slides longitudinally on such extension 47. The other wall of the circumferential groove of the .shifter sleeve is formed by a flange 50 which is a marginal flange at the end of the. extension 47. Otherwise, the construction is thesame as the forms already described and the functioning is substantially the same.

I claim: t

1. An engine starter including a. rotatable drive shaft, and a drive mounted thereon and driven thereby including a sleeve mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, a driving member carried by said sleeve and adapted to be shifted longitudinally to engage a member of the engine to be started, a control member mounted on the sleeve for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith,

a friction clutch interposed between the driving member and the control member and adapted to be clamped by the latter against the driving member for the transmission of torque from the shaft and sleeve to the' driving member, means acting `on the control member for producing a slight and constant pressure upon the clutch and means including a yielding lost motion connection withthe sleeve for shifting the latter on the drive shaft.

2. An engine starter including a rotatable drive shaft, and a drive mounted thereon and driven therebyl including a sleeve mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, `a. driving member carried by said sleeve and adapted to. be shifted longitudinally-to engage a member of the engine to be started, a control member mounted on the .sleeve for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, 00

a friction clutch interposed between the driving vmember and the control member and adapted to bc clamped by the latter against the driving member for the transi'nissionvof torque from the shaft and sleeve to the driving member, and a torsion spring acting on the control member and tending to rotate it in a direction to apply pressure upon the clutch.

` 3. An enginevstartcfr including a rotatable drive shaft, a drive including a sleeve splined on the shaft, a pinion mounted on one end of said sleeve, said sleevefbeing adapted to be shifted longitudinally to bring the pinion into mesh with a member of the engine to be started, a nut threaded on the sleeve, a friction clutch interposed between the pinion and nut and adapted to be clamped by the latter against thc pinion for the transmission of torque from the shaft and sleeve to the pinion, and a torsion spring acting on the 11o nut and tending to rotate it in a direction to apply pressure upon the clutch.

4. An engine starter including a rotatable drive shaft, a drive including a sleeve splined on the shaft, a pinion mounted on one end of said sleeve, said sleeve being adapted to be shifted longitudinally to bring the pinion into mesh with a member of the engine to be started, a nut threaded on the sleeve, a friction clutch interposed between the pinion and lao nut and operably connected therewith, said clutch comprising two sets of friction plates one set being splined to the pinion and the -other set to the nut, and a torsion spring connected with the nut for applying slight but constant pressure upon said clutch plates.

5. An engine starter including a rotatable drive shaft, a drive including a sleeve splined on the shaft, a pinion mounted on dhe end of said sleeve, said sleeve being adapted to be shifted longitudinally to bring the pinion into mesh with a member of the engine to be started, a nut threaded onthe screw sleeve, a friction clutch interposed between the pinion and nut and operably connected therewith, said pinion having a hub extension and said nut having a shell extension, vsaid clutch comprising two sets of frictionplates which sets are respectively splined to said extensions, means for applying a slight and constant pressure upon the clutch, and a shifting sleeve shiftable with respect to the screw sleeve.

6. An engine starter including a rotatable drive shaft, and a drive mounted thereon and driven thereby including a sleeve mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereofand rotary movement therewith, a driving member carried by said sleeve and adapted to be shifted'longitudinally with said sleeve to engage a member of the engine to be started, a control member mounted on the sleeve for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, a friction clutch interposed between the driving member and control member for the transmission of torque between said members, said sleeve having an extension at one end, and a manually operable shifting sleeve having telescoping relation with respect to `such eX- tension and operably connected with the latter.

7. An engine starter including a rotatable drive shaft, and a drive mounted thereon and driven thereby including a sleeve mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, a driving member carried by said sleeve `and adapted to be shifted longitudinally with said sleeve to engage a member of the engine to be started, a control member mounted on the sleeve for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, a friction clutch interposed between the driving member and control member for the transmission of torque between said members, said sleeve having an extension at one end, a manually operable shifting sleeve opera-bly connected with said extension, and means for holding thelatter and the manually operable sleeve in a normal relative position.

8. An engine starter including a rotatable drive shaft, and a drive mounted thereon and driven thereby including a sleeve mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, a

driving member carried by said sleeve and adapted to be shifted longitudinally with said sleeve to engage a member of the engine to be started, a control member mounted on the lsleeve for longitudinai movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, a friction clutch' interposed between the driving member and control member for the transmission of torque between said members, said sleeve having an extension at one end, a manually operable shifting sleeve having a projecting pin, and telescoping with respect to said exteiisionwliich is provided with a longitudi-` nal slot to receive said pin, and means for holding the two sleeves in a normal relative position.

9. An engine starter including a rotatable drive shaft, and a drive mounted thereon and driven thereby including a sleeve mounted on the shaft forlongitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, a driving member carried by said sleeve and adapted to be shifted longitudinally with said sleeve to engage a member of the engine to be started, a control member mounted on the sleeve for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith. a friction clutch interposed between the driving member and control member for the transmission of torque between said members,- said sleeve having an extension at one end, and a manually operable shifting sleeve having telescoping relation within such extension and operably connected with the latter, said extension having a bore of a diameter greater than that of the bore of its sleeve, and said shifting sleeve being mounted to slide upon the shaft and in the annular space between such shaft and the first named sleeve.

10. An engine starter including a rotatable drive shaft and a drive mounted thereon and driven thereby including a sleeve splined upon the shaft and shift-able longitudinally thereon and rotatable therewith, a pinion carried at one end of the sleeve and adapted to engage a member of the engine to be started -when the sleeve is shifted longitudinally, al

nut threaded upon the other end of the sleeve, a friction .clutch arranged between and cooperating wlth the pinion and nut, and a light torsion spring encircling the nut and sleeve and connected at its opposite ends to such nut and sleeve, and manual means for shifting the sleeve, nutl and clutch bodily longitudinally of the shaft.

11. An engine starter including` a rotatable drive shaft and a drive n'iounted'thereon and driven thereby including a sleeve splined upon the shaft and shiftable longitudinally thereon and rotatable therewith and having at one end short lead screw threads, a nut threaded upon such threads, a pinion carried at the other end of the sleeve, a friction clutch arranged between and cooperating with the pinion and nut, and a torsion spring connected at its ends to such nut and sleeve and tending to turn such nut in a direction to apply a constant but light pressure upon the clutch, and manual means for shifting the sleeve, nut and clutch bodily longitudinallv of the shaft. u

12. An engine starter including a rotatable drive shaft and a drive mounted thereon and driven thereby including a sleeve splined u on the shaft and shiftable longitudinally tiereon and rotatable ltherewith, said sleeve having at one end a stop and at its other end screw threads, a pinion carried upon one end of the sleeve and positioned against such stop,

' a nut threaded upon such threads, a friction y clutch interposed between the pinion and nut and having two sets of friction plates connected respectively with the pinion and nut,

and. manual means for shifting the sleeve,l

having atene end a stop and at its other end screw threads, a pinion carried uponone lend of the sleeve and positioned against such stop, a nut threaded upon such-threads, a friction clutch interposed between thepinion and nut and having two sets of vfriction plates, said pinion having a hub extension andsaid nut having a shell extension enclosing' the plates, said plates being splined to the two extensions respectively to transmit torque from the nut to the pinion, and manually operated means for shifting the sleeve, nut and clutch bodily longitudinally of the shaft including a longitudinally slidable sleeve cooperating with the screw sleeve and having a longitudinal movement relative thereto.

la. An engine starter including a rotatable drive shaft, and a drive mounted thereon and driven thereby including a sleeve 'mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, a driving member carried by said sleeve and adapted to be shifted longitudinally with said sleeve to engage a member of the engine to be started, a control member mounted on the sleeve for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, a friction clutch interposed between the driving member and control member for the transmission of torque between said members, said sleeve having an extension at one end, a manually operated second sleeve mounted to slide with respect to the shaft and operably connected with the first sleeve, a sprlng retainer in the form of a shell connectedl with said extension of the sleeve and encircling the control member, a thimble connected with the second sleeve, and a spring interposed between the shell and thimble 'to hold the two sleeves in a normal relative position.

15. An engine starter including a rotatable drive shaft, and a drive mounted thereon and driven thereby including a sleeve mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, a driving,

member carried'by said sleeve and adapted to be shifted longitudinally with said sleeve toengage a member of the engine to be started, a controlfmember mounted on the sleeve for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, a friction clutch interposed between the driving member and control member for the transmission of torque between said members, said sleeve having an extension at one end,.a manually operated second sleeve mounted to slide on the shaft and operably connected with the first sleeve, a spring retainer in the form of a shell connected 'with said extension of the sleeve and encircling the control member, a thimble connected with the second sleeve, a compression spring interposed between the shell and thimble to hold the two sleeves in a normal relative position, and a light torsion springl coop- WILLIAM L. MCGRATH. 

